400 IS militants and their families evacuate western Syria
dpa
BEIRUT (dpa)- A convoy of buses carrying around 400 Islamic State militants and their families moved from Syria's western Qalamoun region on Monday towards the jihadist movement's stronghold of Deir al-Zour, a security source and a monitoring group said.
The evacuation falls under a deal between the Islamic State extremist group and the Lebanese Shiite Hezbollah movement, which has been fighting alongside the forces of President Bashar al-Assad.
Most of the jihadists fled to Qalamoun after they were holed up at the outskirts of north-eastern Lebanon after the Lebanese army launched an offensive on the area.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that 30 buses and ambulances carrying the militants and their families left the passageway of Sheikh Ali, at the outskirts of western Qalamoun towards Deir al-Zour.
The militants include 25 who were injured in the latest battles with the Lebanese army.
This deal means that the Syrian regime and their allies have cleared most of the areas near the Syrian-Lebanese border, according to a Hezbollah source based in the area.
In return, Islamic State will hand over the bodies of Hezbollah fighters who were killed in Syria.
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The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that 30 buses and ambulances carrying the militants and their families left the passageway of Sheikh Ali, at the outskirts of western Qalamoun towards Deir al-Zour.
The militants include 25 who were injured in the latest battles with the Lebanese army.
This deal means that the Syrian regime and their allies have cleared most of the areas near the Syrian-Lebanese border, according to a Hezbollah source based in the area.
In return, Islamic State will hand over the bodies of Hezbollah fighters who were killed in Syria.
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